Pilot sentenced for flying without a license
05/09/02 — A Downey man who was accused of stealing a plane, flying through power lines and frightening residents was sentenced to five years probation in federal court Tuesday.

Raymond Lee Montgomery, 52, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of operating an airplane without proper certification in February. Federal prosecutors dropped a charge of transporting a stolen plane across state lines.

He admitted to Judge B. Lynn Winmill that he stole the plane, a single-engine 1959 Champion, from the Preston airport, flew it until he attempted to land it in Preston and took off again when he saw authorities there. He eventually landed on a private airstrip in Box Elder County, Utah. Montgomery was also accused of flying too close to residents, mostly in Downey, and dropping a phony pipe bomb on Interstate 15.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Haycock said Montgomery had already been in jail for seven months, and there was insufficient evidence to convict him of dropping phony pipe bombs or buzzing civilians. Montgomery was also ordered to pay $7,894 in restitution for damage to the plane. He was not ordered to pay restitution for the power line damage.

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